Plastic stacking case



Oct. 26, 1965 T. BOX

PLASTIC srmcxme CASE Filed May 17, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR FZTODOE .5 35 BY AFYOENE'Y Oct. 26, 1965 T. BOX 3,214,056

PLASTIC STACKING CASE Filed May 17, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1' Za gNTOR United States Patent 3,214,056 PLASTIC STACKING CASE Theodor Box, 5702 251st St, Little Neck, N.Y. Filed May 17, 1963, Ser. No. 281,130 1 Claim. (Cl. 220-97) The present invention relates to plastic carrying and stacking cases or tote boxes, more particularly, though not limitatively, for the storage and shipment of packaged goods, in particular glass or the like bottles, cartons, and similar containers commonly being used for the distribution of milk, beer, fruit juices and the like foods or liquids.

While the invention will be described in the following with specific reference to the carrying case shown and disclosed in any copending patent application Ser. No. 239,- 891, filed Nov. 26, 1962, entitled Plastic Carrying Case, which prior application is hereby included in the instant application by reference, it will become apparent as the present description proceeds that the improvement according to the present invention applies with equal advantage to other case constructions designed for the stacking of large numbers of cases or units during storage or transport.

There is shown and described in said prior application a plastic carrying case consisting essentially of an integrally molded structure of high-impact synthetic plastic material and comprising side and end walls and a bottom wall, the latter being fitted adjoining to its outer edges with a projecting ridge of channel-shaped cross-section, in the case of the particular construction shown, to provide a shoulder or offset in conjunction with the edges of the case, or special flanges projecting outwardly from said edges, in such a manner as to allow of one case to be stacked upon another case in aligned position with the edges of the first case nesting with the edges of the second case, to thereby provide an adequate stability of the assembly of stacked cases.

In the practical use of carrying cases of the type referred to in the foregoing, it is often desirable or necessary to construct the cases to have an oblong rectangular shape or configuration, that is, with the length being greater than the width of the case, as compared with a square-shaped construction with all the sides having the same length or dimension. This requirement is due, among other reasons, to the customary standard numbers of bottles, containers or other articles to be stored, such as in the use of cases having a capacity of twelve or twenty units, or other numbers different from the socalled square numbers enabling the design of cases of equal sides or square configuration.

Another reason for the use of oblong rectangular rather than square cases is the advantage of enabling the stacking of two or more cases optionally in aligned or nested position, in the manner pointed out, and in a crossed position of the adjoining cases of a stack, whereby to enable a simple brief or temporary stacking as well as the storing or stacking of great numbers of cases in the form of multiple and interlocked stacks of increased mechanical stability, in the manner as will be become further apparent from the following.

An important object of the present invention is the provision of an improved oblong rectangular carrying case of the type referred to, whereby a plurality of cases may be stacked optionally in mutually aligned and nested posi- 3,214,056 Patented Oct. 26, 1965 ice tion, or in relatively cross position, substantially without involving slippage of one case relative to the adjoining or lower case of the stack.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved oblong rectangular carrying case of the type referred to, whereby a plurality of cases may be stacked optionally in aligned and nested position, or in locked and relative crossed or transverse position, respectively.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a stackable oblong rectangular carrying case or tote box of the type referred to which will enable a ready and efficient crosswise stacking of a plurality of cases for the ready and expeditious assembly of interlocking multiple stacks of increased stability.

The invention, both as to the foregoing and ancillary objects, as well as its novel aspects, will be better understood from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompaning drawings forming part of this specification and in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the assembly of a multiple stack of carrying cases according to the invention in mutually interlocked relation, in an effort to improve the stability of the composite stack or assembly;

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of the bottom part of one (upper) case of a stack and the top of another (lower) case being constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention, both cases being shown in their positions prior to crosswise stacking;

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a pair of cases in aligned and nested position;

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view taken on lines 44 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 and showing a modification of the invention.

Like reference characters denote like parts in the different views of the drawings.

With the foregoing objects in view, the invention involves generally the provision of an easily stackable carrying case of the type referred to and consisting of an integrally molded structure of high-impact synthetic plastic material, such as polyethylene or polypropylene, said case comprising essentially a pair of side walls, a pair of end walls of lesser width than said side walls, and a bottom wall or, in other words, a case having an oblong rectangular shape or configuration with either an open top or being fitted with a hinged cover, in the manner shown by the above-mentioned copending application. The invention is furtherfore concerned especially, though not limitatively, with carrying cases or tote boxes of this type being provided with or without lower and upper flanges projecting outwardly from said bottom wall and from the upper edges of said side and end walls, respectively, and being fitted with either a solid or channelshaped ridge projecting downwardly from said bottom wall inwardly of the outer edges thereof, whereby to allow of one case to be stacked upon another case in relative aligned position of said walls and with said ridge nesting with the upper edges of the next lower case of a stack, to position and align a number of cases and to provide a stack of adequate stability. Aside from such aligned or nested stacking or assembly of a number of cases, there is further provided, according to the present invention, simple and efficient means for the optional stacking or positioning of two or more cases of the type referred to in relatively transverse or crossed position, to suit any existing conditions, as pointed out hereinbefore, or to comply with any other requirements which may be encountered in practice.

More specifically, in order to carry into efiect the invention, the ridge projecting from the bottom wall of the case is provided with a series or multiplicity of first spaced and parallel projecting ribs including an acute angle with said ridge and advantageously serving as a means to increase the friction with a supporting surface, to prevent slippage of the cases during storage or transport. Cooperating with said first ribs are a series of second and similar ribs provided upon the upper edges or flanges, respectively, of at least the side walls of the cases, the ribs of the edge or flange of one side wall being aligned with the ribs of the edge or flange of the opposite side wall and the individual ribs of said walls or flanges being spaced from each other and in relation to the width of said ridge and/ or the spacing of said first ribs, in such a manner as to afford or facilitate the stacking of two cases in relatively crossed or transverse position by interlocking of said first and second ribs acting as positioning or aligning means, in a manner as will become more apparent from the following description of the drawings.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown, for the purpose of illustration and diagrammatically, one of the practical uses of crosswise stacking of a number of carrying cases of the type referred to, to produce an assembly or composite stack of increased stability and comprising a plurality of interlocking partical stacks. For this purpose, a first set or tier of cases la1t g, that is, seven cases according to the example shown in dotted lines in the drawing, are arranged with the cases of the groups 1001400, 1tlb1tld, and 1tl e-ll0fltlg having adjoining side walls and with said groups of cases adjoining each other or arranged to enclose a rectangular area, in such a manner as to leave a free space or gap between the groups 1)a1i)c and 1fib1@d, respectively, as seen from the drawing. Stacked upon the first tier of cases Ida-g is a second set or tier comprising cases 11a11g and being arranged similarly to the cases of the first tier but oriented with the free space or gap pointing in the opposite direction, in such a manner as to result in a crosswise stacking and overlap of the corresponding cases of both said tiers, or to result in an interlock of the cases of the multiple stacks, in the manner shown and understood from the drawing. Additional tiers of cases may be added in alternating fashion in the manner shown, to result in a composite stack or assembly of desired size. The cases constructed in accordance with the present invention, while enabling an aligned stacking or nesting for producing single stacks in the ordinary manner (FIG. 3), additionally allow of the efficient and expeditious stacking in crossed position for the assembly of the cases in a multiple stack, or to suit any other practical conditions or requirements.

Referring to FIG. 2, there are shown, in partial perspective view, a pair of cases in their relative position prior to crosswise stacking according to the invention, each said cases comprising end walls 12 and 12a, side walls 13 and 13a, and bottom walls 14 and 14a, respectively. Projecting downwardly from said bottom walls and inwardly of and spaced from the outer edges thereof are channelshaped ridges 15 and 15a, to enable the ordinary stacking, FIG. 3, of one case upon another case in relative aligned position of said walls and with the ridge 15 of one case nesting with the upper edges of the next lower case of a stack, to improve the allover stability of the stack. The bottom wall and upper free edges of the cases may be provided with outwardly projecting flanges 16l6a and 1747a, respectively, with the adjoining flanges engaging one another in the stacked position, to further increase the rigidity or stability of the stack.

In order to enable the optional stacking of the cases in crosswise position as shown in FIG. 2, both the ridges 15 and 15a and the upper edges or flanges 17 and 17a are provided with spaced and parallel first and second projecting ribs, Iii-18a and 19-1911, respectively, said ribs including acute angles with said ridges or flanges and being spaced by distances in relation to the width of said ridges such as to afford or facilitate the stacking of the cases in desired crosswise or overlapping relation by interlocking of said first and second ribs acting as positioning or aligning means, in the manner more clearly shown by FIGS. 4 and 5 of the drawings.

According to the FIG. 4 modification, wherein the width w of the ridge (15, 15a) is substantially equal to the width of the upper edges or flanges (17, 17a), of the cases, the ribs 13 of ridge 15 of the upper case include a angle with said ridge and are spaced from each other by distances d substantially less than the width w, while the ribs 19 and 19a also including angles of 45 with the respective flanges 17 and 17a, are spaced from each other by distances d being slightly in excess of twice said width, in such a manner as to cause, in the example shown, the ridge 15 of the upper case to interlock with the ribs 19a of the opposite side walls of the lower case, for the alignment of the cases in a desired relative overlapping position, in the manner shown in FIG. 4. As is understood, the relative dimensions and angles of the ribs 18 and 19a may be varied without interfering with the mutual interlock of the ribs, to suit existing conditions or requirements.

In order to effect an interlock of the cases on both coordinate directions by the ridge 15 and flange 17a, both the ribs 18 and 1901 may be'spaced by distances d that is, somewhat greater than twice the width w of both said ridge and flange, to provide suflicient clearance for the expeditious crosswise stacking or overlap of the cases, in the manner shown in FIG. 5 and understood from the foregoing.

In other words, in FIG. 4 the ribs 18 of the ridges 15 of the upper case engage the upper edges of the side walls 13a or flanges 17a, respectively, between the ribs 19a of the lower acse, while in the FIG. 5 modification the ridges 15 themselves engage said edges or flanges, whereby to lock the cases in both directions in the stacked position.

In the foregoing the invention has been described in reference to a specific illustrative device. It will be evident, however, that variations and modifications, as well as the substitution of equivalent elements or parts for those shown herein for illustration, may be made without departing from the broader purview and spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claim. The specification and drawings are accordingly to be regarded in an illustrative rather than in a restrictive sense.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

In a stackable plastic carrying case of the type comprising a pair of side walls, a pair of relatively shorter end walls, a bottom wall reinforcing side and end flanges projecting horizontally outwardly from both the upper and lower edges of said walls, and an integral rectangular ridge having side and end sections projecting downwardly from said bottom wall inwardly of the outer edges thereof, to enable nesting of said ridge with the inside of the upper edges of the side and end walls of a case below in a stack of cases arranged in relatively aligned position, the improvement consisting in:

(1) said ridge having a channel-shaped cross-section of a width substantially equal to the width of said upper flanges,

(2) said ridge being provided with a set of first spaced and parallel downwardly proiecting ribs forming acute angles with said ridge,

(3) the upper flanges of said side and end Walls being similarly provided with a set of second upwardly projecting spaced and parallel ribs also forming acute angles with said flanges,

(4) The ribs of each of the side and end section of said ridge being aligned with the ribs of the opposite 3,214,056 5 6 sections of said ridge and the ribs of each of said References Cited by the Examiner upper side and end flanges being aligned with the ribs UNITED STATES PATENTS of the opposite upper flanges of said case, and

(5) the individual ribs of both said sets being spaced 1112943 10/14 Stone 220 9 7 2,144,069 1/39 Lear 220-97 from each other by distances in excess of twice the 5 2 753 077 7/56 G 220 97 Width of said upper flanges, whereby to position a 3002650 10/61 fi 220 97 first case stacked in crosswise relation to and upon a 0V6 pair of juxtaposed lower cases having adjoining side walls by interlocking of said ridge and upper flanges THERON CONDON Primary Exammer' by said first and second ribs, respectively. GEORGE E. LOWRANCE, Examiner. 

